A Moment of Respite
by Rie Sonomura
Summary: A camping trip to the place it all began faces a setback... but also draws some people closer together. Lumiker, with hints of Terryleth. LAST FIC FOR MY FLUFFUARY 2020 I'M SORRY I HAVEN'T BEEN CONSISTENT WITH IT.


**so uhhh...i've been wanting to do this for a while. We deadass need more Lumiker content and I also came up with another rare ship - _gasp _Terry/F!Byleth!? If you read the epilogue of _Hiding in my Skin _this should come as no surprise.  
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**lately ive been having a lot of nostalgia for camping, and idk why. And I just randomly thought, hey why not have the five FP1 peeps (w/female instead of Male Byleth, and the DQ11 Hero) go camping? It originally started as a small Lumiker camping thing with nothing out of the ordinary but it evolved into... this. Also I've been playing a lot of Pokemon Shield and camping and making curry a lot kinda just... gave me more plotbuns WHOOPS  
**

**so yeah, here's some Lumiker and Terry/Blythe featuring Banjo & Kazooie From Microsoft(TM). it's also my last Fluffuary for the year as i've been busy. might be a bit late actually. i do have one last Femslash Feb planned too, which might also be late. rip. work is just really draining me**

**anyway enjoy this... thing, whatever it turned out to be. Byleth (male Byleth) and the other three Heroes are I guess staying behind along with KOS-MOS, who pretty much has to be near her charging station for ideal performance, so Blythe decided to go with the others instead I guess. This is kinda also a companion piece to the aforementioned fic.  
**

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**_A Moment of Respite_**

What was meant to be a simple camping trip to see those cliffs from that fateful day - the day before the great cosmic battle during which Joker, the Luminary, Banjo, Kazooie, and Terry Bogard were summoned to help save the multiverse - was offset by a rather unfortunate chain of events.

The plan was for the four, plus Blythe as KOS-MOS needed maintenance and Byleth and the other three Heroes decided to help out, to set up camp midway and spend the night, where they'd head for the cliffs the next morning. The reason behind this was because Joker wanted to see where the great conflict started, as he and the others in the group were only awakened and initiated as Smashers just immediately before the final battle. Save for Blythe and Byleth, who showed up a month and a half after Galeem and Dharkon were both vanquished. The others agreed it would be nice to see that view from those cliffs at sunset too, just how it was that day. Maybe they'd show the next few new faces this... historic landmark, for lack of a better word, too, in the future.

Of course, it looked like they wouldn't be able to make it by sunset as they were buffeted by a fierce downpour. Joker's first instinct was to stretch out his coat to protect him and the Luminary from the rain as the two were initially walking close together. Blythe, getting soaked from head to toe, looked around frantically for shelter before spotting a cave nearby. Banjo, Kazooie, and Terry managed to salvage what they could as they all ran to safety, with Terry using the cooking pot he was carrying as a makeshift "umbrella".

Which, unfortunately, wasn't much.

"A lot of our stuff is too soaked to use," Terry griped, briefly taking off his trucker hat and shaking as much water as he could out of it. "Tents are soaked on the inside, only two sleeping bags survived the rain, and only two towels. Cooking pot's fine, but I'd need to dry it off first."

Popping out of Banjo's backpack, Kazooie announced, "I did keep the firewood dry, at least," and held up the pieces of firewood.

"P-put it over here," Blythe stammered as she shivered, motioning to a spot a bit deeper in the cave she was standing at, away from the downpour. After placing the firewood in the ideal spot, the Luminary volunteered, "I'll light it. I suggest you all stand back." Gathering magic energy in his hand, he threw his hand out in front of himself and shouted, "Frizz!". Immediately afterward, a fireball shot out from his hand and landed on the firewood, kindling a decently sized campfire.

"T-thank you," Blythe shivered, drawing closer to the fire to dry herself off. Banjo and Terry approached the campfire as well, with Terry grabbing one of the two towels and handing it to Blythe with a smile.

"Oh... t-thank you," Blythe stammered, drying a bit more of herself that she could dry with the towel off and then wrapping it around her.

"Just wanted you to be a bit more comfortable," Terry reassured her.

"But... what about yourself?" Blythe asked him. "Didn't you get soaked, too?"

"Not that much," Terry shrugged. "I used the pot to cover myself. Pants are a bit wet, though, and my socks... ugh. Wet socks are just the _worst_, y'know?" Terry removed his sneakers and let his sock-clad feet dry from the campfire's heat. "You're not... weirded out by this, are ya?"

"Of course not," Blythe giggled. "I find your 'get to it' mannerisms quite... charming." She leaned against Terry's shoulder. Terry was a bit surprised at first, but welcomed it, wrapping an arm around her protectively.

"WOULD YOU TWO JUST SMOOCH ALREADY?!" Kazooie called out, before Banjo shushed her and stuffed her back into his backpack.

"What was that?" Terry asked as he and Blythe turned their heads back.

"Nothing!" Banjo nervously chuckled. Once the Legendary Wolf and Garreg Mach professor looked ahead again, Kazooie slowly emerged from the backpack, muttering in an irritated manner, "Banjo... if we didn't have everyone else with us I'd _so _be pecking you right now."

"Ya gotta have common courtesy at a time like this, Kazooie!" Banjo whispered.

"Yeah, well THEY WERE SO ABOUT TO KISS AND YOU RUINED IT!"

"Sssssshhhhh!"

Observing the exchange from a short distance away from the campfire, Joker chuckled. "It's nice to see everyone getting along so well, despite us all being from different worlds, in every sense."

"Excuse me, Joker..." The Luminary stammered, standing next to him. "I noticed... when it started raining, you covered us both with your coat..."

"Couldn't leave you hanging," Joker commented. "How you holding up, Lumi?"

"Not too bad, all things considered," The Luminary replied. "My pants are a little wet, but I'm not as bad off as Blythe was."

"Same," Joker concurred.

"...'Same'?" Luminary tilted his head in bewilderment. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, it's a common saying among people my age in my world, like a shorthand way of saying 'same here'," Joker explained. "My... pants are a bit wet too. My shirt and boots are leather, though, just like my coat, so those are pretty water resistant."

"I see..." Looking down, the Luminary noticed Joker's bag lying nearby. "Oh, what about what's in your bag?"

"Hmmm..." Bending down, Joker unzipped his bag and found the ingredients he brought along to make their dinner, and some plates, spoons and a ladle. Noticing they were still nice and dry, he whistled and commented, "Welp, it's curry night tonight!"

"Curry?" The Luminary questioned.

"It's a staple dish in my world," Joker elaborated. "It consists of rice, potatoes, meat, vegetables, and a sweet-spicy roux. You've got to try it!"

"Ohhh, that sounds delicious!" Hearing his stomach grumble, the Luminary sheepishly commented, "...Guess I'm already hungry thinking about it..."

"I'm sure everyone else is too," Joker said, "So I guess it's dinner time." Joker and the Luminary walked over to Terry, and Joker asked, "Where's the cooking pot?"

"Over there," Terry replied, pointing to the pot in a corner of the cave. "You'll need to dry it up a bit. There's a spare towel in my bag."

"Thanks." After drying off the pot, Joker called out to the group, "Who's ready for dinner?"

"What are we havin'?" Banjo asked curiously.

"Glad you asked, Banjo," Joker said. "We're having a staple dish from my world - curry rice! Trust me, you guys are gonna love it!"

...

The group meticulously watched as Joker pulled out the necessary ingredients and began preparing the meal. He first cooked the rice, placing each group member's portion on their respective plate, then placing cubes of congealed sauce into the pot, which proceeded to melt into a delicious smelling sauce. He then took out the pre-cut meat and vegetables, which included carrots, onions and potatoes, and stirred them thoroughly, letting them absorb some of the sauce sufficiently.

"Oh, that smells _amazing_," Kazooie murmured, staring and drooling slightly.

"Alright, order up!" Joker announced, taking a ladle and scooping up appropriately sized portions. Kazooie held out her plate first and Joker server her her portion of curry stock, then serving everyone else before finally serving himself. By the time he was done, the pot was empty - the curry mix and ingredients proportions were enough for six people.

"Oh, Joker," The Luminary commented, "Don't want the pot to burn..."

"I've got it," Joker reassured him, grabbing the pot by the handles and moving it off the fire. "But thanks for looking out for me."

"Heh..."

"Oh my gods, this is incredible," Blythe uttered with stars in her eyes, passionately digging in.

"Whoa!" Terry was surprised by Blythe enthusiastically gobbling up the curry dish. "Is it really that good...?" Taking a spoonful to his mouth, his expectations were blown away.

"OH MY GOD! YOU WEREN'T KIDDING!" Terry also began stuffing his mouth with spoon after spoon. Banjo and Kazooie were unsurprisingly doing the same.

The Luminary, however, just sat there, taking in the surroundings: the light of the campfire illuminating the cavern; the sound of the rain outside; and the distinctive scent of the meal which no doubt whetted his appetite. But it was more than that... this was an experience he wouldn't ever forget.

"Earth to Lumi?" Joker teasingly asked him. "Got yer head in the clouds?"

"...N-no, I'm fine," The Luminary stammered, understanding Joker's slang. He took a spoonful of the meat, potatoes and a bit of rice in the roux and took it to his mouth.

"W-wow..." He muttered. "This is... unlike anything I've ever tasted...!" He continued eating at a slightly slower pace, enjoying every bite.

"Glad ya like it, Lumi." Joker also ate at the same pace.

Once everyone was done, the rain had stopped, the night air becoming a bit cooler. The flame was still burning, but at a gradually lower intensity and would fizzle out within a few hours.

Yawning, Terry mumbled, "Welp, guess we better hit the hay... we'll head to those cliffs in the morning right?"

"...Sure," Joker replied with a smile. "I think... given its significance, it'd be a lot better if we saw the sun rising over those cliffs."

"As opposed to it setting like it was for the other Smashers that fateful day...?" The Luminary questioned.

"Exactly," Joker confirmed. "The sun rising would represent a new hope for the future, I'd think."

"Indeed..."

"Only problem is, it's a little chilly, and we've only got two towels and two sleeping bags, and one of them is a bit damp after Blythe dried herself off with it," Terry explained.

"Oh, don't worry about me, guys," Banjo spoke up. "I'm a bear, so this is no big deal for me. Kazooie will just sleep in the backpack."

"Um..." The Luminary spoke up. "I... want to sleep under the stars..."

"What if it rains again, though?" Blythe asked.

"It'll just be close enough to the cave's opening so that we're still covered," The Luminary suggested.

"Seems fair," Joker conceded. "I guess you'll want a sleeping bag, then?"

"Sure," The Luminary said. "It's less likely to blow away that close to the cave."

"Guess I'll take one, too," Joker suggested. "Think I'll look at the stars with you too, Lumi."

"Really...?" Looking to the side, the Luminary blushed as he said, "I... appreciate it."

"That only leaves the towels..." Terry murmured. "But one of them is..."

"I'll cover myself with the one I've been using," Blythe told him.

"You sure...?" Terry apprehensively asked her. "Wouldn't want you to get sick..."

"It's dried off sufficiently from the fire's heat, I'm sure," Blythe reassured him with a smile. "But I do appreciate your concern... it's very gentlemanly of you."

"Aaaaahh - d-don't mention it," Terry mumbled, hiding his face in his hands shyly. "She actually called me a gentleman..."

"Heehee..."

...

The campfire had mellowed out greatly. Banjo and Kazooie slept in the far back of the cave, while Terry and Blythe slept a short distance from the campfire, covering themselves with the towels. Joker and the Luminary set their sleeping bags close to the mouth of the cave, at a spot where they could see the night sky above them.

"Look at all those stars," Joker commented as he and the Luminary snuggled up in their sleeping bags right next to each other. "You know, you can only see the stars in the night sky this clearly when you're away from civilization like this."

"I see..." The Luminary mused. "All these stars above us... are different worlds when you come to think about it. They all share the same sky... you think our friends and family back home are witnessing this same sky, too?"

"For sure," Joker agreed. "That way, I know that even when we're apart, we'll never be separated."

"Even when you're apart..." The Luminary murmured.

"What's up, Lumi?" Joker asked the brunette swordsman.

"I... noticed you saw when I was... as you would say, 'spacing out' earlier," The Luminary told the Phantom Thief. "I guess I was just... taking in the moment. It's the dream of a lifetime to meet people from other worlds like this..." His facial expression turned regretful as he continued, "And it might not even last long. This tournament will be my first, but it might also be my last..."

"Hey, look at it this way," Joker told him. "Even if we have to go our separate ways, we'll all make memories that'll last a lifetime. And who knows, maybe later down the line, we'll get to see each other again if whomever's in charge of the next tournaments decides to call us all back again."

"You think so?"

"Of course," Joker nodded. "So keep your chin up, Lumi."

"Okay..." The Luminary looked to the side briefly, but then suddenly leaned in and gave Joker a kiss on the forehead before backing away and shyly murmuring, "S-sorry..."

"...For what?" Joker reassured him with a smile.

"I just... wanted to make such a memory right here and now..." The Luminary stammered. "I... probably should have asked first..."

"It was a surprise, sure, but a welcome one," Joker chuckled as he gave the Luminary a soft kiss on the forehead in return, prompting a smile to grace the Luminary's face. "You're cute when you smile, Lumi... so keep on smiling, okay?"

"S-sure," The Luminary blushed. "You're... cute when you smile too..."

"Heheh, thanks," Joker giggled. Rolling over and looking at the night sky once more, he said, "G'night, Lumi."

"Good night, Joker."

_**Fin**_

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**I haven't played Persona 5, so I wouldn't know if Joker's cooked curry before, I was kinda drawing off Persona 4 but unlike Yukiko, Joker doesn't frick the whole thing up - the opposite in fact, he does amazingly. I hope you guys enjoyed.**

**oh and obligatory Super Smash Prose server plug, a discord server to chat with other Smash Bros. fanfic authors and share your stuff! The invite ID is ****gDX48ua.**


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